There are two critical things that will happen within the next year that will decide the fate of this country. One is the 2008 election. I believe the current Republicans have slipped over the edge. They are authoritarians with serious fascist tendencies.
I was a Republican my whole life until the Bush administration and I was called fascist countless times, so I don't use the word lightly. Even Sandra Day O'Connor, the former Supreme Court Justice that put Bush into office warned about the beginnings of dictatorship in this country.
Republican nominees like Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney are constantly justifying and excusing torture, spying on innocent Americans, bombing countries that are absolutely no threat to us and running roughshod over the United States constitution. None of these are conservative principles. The Republican Party has become radicalized.Mike Huckabee is an evangelical Christian who doesn't believe in evolution, a position I find laughable and embarrassing, but I think he might be the most sane among them (Ron Paul is roughly right about foreign policy, but he is a different kind of radical in domestic policy). That's how bad the Republican Party has become.
If one of these guys wins next year, I really don't know what terrible direction this great country is going to spin off into. Luckily, they don't have a very good chance of winning. Every poll indicates the country gets it. They are sick of these radicals and want some sanity back in the country. But don't put it past a Democrat to blow this one. If ever a party was built to lose, it's the current Democratic Party built on weakness and capitulation. So, this election will be pivotal.
The second moment -- or non-moment -- that is absolutely critical is whether George W. Bush orders an attack against Iran. The results of this order would be catastrophic. Iran would retaliate all over the world, but mainly against our troops in Iraq (with their Shiite brethren in Iraq). Even more importantly, we would inflame the whole Muslim world. We would create this absurd world war against Islam that the idiot neo-conservatives are dreaming about. Let alone what it would do to oil prices and the world economy.
The same incompetent fools who gave us the Iraq War are now claim attacking Iran would be easy (apparently, according to these nuts the Iranian people would welcome an attack on their country). I don't think they even believe that. They're doing the same thing they did before the Iraq War -- try to imply that the war will be easy so that we are more likely to enter it. These band of merry fools are led by Dick Cheney.
ABC News is reporting today that giant bunker-buster bombs have been included in the latest Pentagon request as urgent needs in the battlefield. As the ABC story explains, the only place where we can use a Stealth bomber to drop these massive bunker-busters are ... Iran.
But luckily, there appears to be another side in this fight within the administration. And it is led by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen. These men appear to be arguing for sanity. Adm. Mullen warned this weak that attacking Iran would lead to risks that are "very, very high." He made it clear that it would in fact be a last resort, as opposed to the fake last resort that Cheney can't wait to fast forward to.
I know that even that kind of language is silly. Last resort to what? Do we have to strike before Iran takes over Cleveland? The whole thing is ridiculous. But Adm. Mullen was giving clear signals through his choice of words. And the signal was that he did not want to attack Iran on his watch.
They are also joined by the head of Central Command, Admiral Fallon, in their opposition to attacks against Iran. Apparently, Admiral Fallon has indicated that he would resign before giving such an order.
The head of Central Command, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the Defense Secretary make for powerful allies. But never, ever underestimate the power of Dick Cheney. The force is strong with that one. Cheney has never really lost a bureaucratic war within the "Bush" administration. He has lost some battles, like the peace deal we made with North Korea (he was, of course, against it; it had the word "peace" in it). But Cheney always win the big ones.
So, I really don't think it's overstating it to say that the future of this Bush administration, this country and even the world turns on this internal administration battle. Unfortunately, the man who will decide who wins this battle is -- George W. Bush. The single most incompetent, unwise, and thoughtless leader this country has ever seen. The battlefield is his tiny mind. Who will gain control of it? Which way will "The Decider" go?
There's your great suspense for the next 15 months. Will Bush pull the trigger and start an even more colossal and disastrous war or will Gates and Mullen walk him back from the edge?
I don't know which way it's going to go. I wait nervously as the clock winds down. I have never wanted 15 months to go by quicker. Will we able to make it out of this administration in one piece? Will we be able to contain the damage done so far? Or will Bush open Pandora's box? Stay tuned.
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The Great War Within the Bush Administration
Posted Oct 25th 2007 4:28PM by Cenk Uygur
Filed under: Middle East, George Bush, Young Turks, Dick Cheney
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Reader Comments ( Page 5 of 8)
61. Mel, do I think Iran is lying? Yes. Do I KNOW that the Bush Junta is lying? YES!!!! Emphatically, YES!!!
What have they told the truth about?
Captain Negative at 2:37PM on Oct 26th 2007
62. Thomas J Gassett, knock it off. Your tried and true tactic of blaming democrats doesn't change ONE SIMPLE FACT....
THERE WERE NO WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION IN IRAQ.
Bush lied. What's freakin' new?
Captain Negative at 2:44PM on Oct 26th 2007
63. Here is something about which nobody seems worried: what if an incoming Democrat president decides to maintain the dictatorial, anti-Constitutional status quo ante? As long as Bush has laid the groundwork for torture, extraordinary rendition, domestic eavesdropping and elective wars, why not continue the abuse to further the aims of Democrats? The next president has to have the guts to undo as much of the Bush-caused damage as possible, even if the price is no second term in the White House.
WackyWade at 2:47PM on Oct 26th 2007
64. WacyWade, that doesn't sound a bit wacky to me. I have absolutely no reason to believe the next president (regardless of political party) will give up the unconstitutional powers stolen by the Bush Junta. Why would they?
The only way to get the Constitution back is through the courts... But wait... the republicans have spent the last thirty years packing the Federal judiciary with Christo-fascists and just plain garden variety fascists.
Captain Negative at 2:53PM on Oct 26th 2007
65. Man have the left wing wachos come out in full force or what? The vile drivel is madding! I've got more inportant things to do ...like taking a bath...My skin feels like its crawling and I'm feeling really dirty after reading some of the smut on this blog! Calgon PLEASE take me away!!!
MARY at 3:03PM on Oct 26th 2007
66. Why are people talking about evolution and every other subject than the one at hand? I've never seen so much a.d.d. on one blog before! People...focus!
bill at 3:08PM on Oct 26th 2007
67. WOW, YOU SAY YOU WERE A REPUBLICIAN, BEFORE BUSH. THATS SO WEIRD! BECAUSE I WAS A DEMOCRAT, UNTIL BUSH! WE "SORTA" HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON FOR A CHANGE, WE BOTH SWITCHED!
MARLA at 3:15PM on Oct 26th 2007
68. Yes people, Focus.
Could you on the Right accept impeachment of Bush if Pelosi and Ried both agreed to abdictate from the presidency and vice presidency and let Rice assume the office till the 08' election was resolved? Yes or no. This is a question we need answered, people.
And if not, then why?
Somber at 3:28PM on Oct 26th 2007
69. Cenk is a chump. Dont ever expect this clear thinking observer to believe you were EVER a Republician. What a FARCE! Oh, and I BET you dont take being called a Fascist lightly! Add left wing, pinko HATE MONGER to the mix and the definition is only then, complete! Its what you've always been and the ranting, hateful responses you've managed to rally on this blog only proves my point! Heres some hate for ya...FASCIST! Eat it up.
James at 3:41PM on Oct 26th 2007
70. I admire this President and will miss him when he is no longer our commander-in-chief! Ilove the fact that he's gotten what was the sleeping giant focused on and debating politics again. It doesnt seem to matter if you are a Repub., a DEM., or an Independent...YOU are engaged in the arena! My husband has an idea in his head that when President Bush boards Marine One to leave the White House he will turn to the ney sayers with his 911 bull horn and say F--k ya'll, I'm goin' home to Texas! Gotta love it.
Tess at 4:07PM on Oct 26th 2007
71. Somber, certainly you jest. Rice is cut from the same clothe as W. They share the same Christian zionist world view which is partly responsible for our current disasterous policy in the Middle East. True, the dark lord Cheney would no longer be around to exert his distructive influence. Rice however, is just as enamored with neoconservative policy directives as is her current boss. She would be a continued disaster.
randy at 4:16PM on Oct 26th 2007
72. I don't pretend like Rice is better than Bush or Cheney. What I accept is that she is 5th in the line of presidential succession. True, in all honesty I'd rather have Gates be president prointerim but practicality aside the two heads I want are Bush and Cheney. And as Rice is not running for office, and as she will be under the greatest scrutiny imaginable, she will be less disposed to perpetuate Bush's abuses. And I also recognize that the republicans will never impeach a president and vice president that leaves the white house in the hands of a democrat. It's not going to happen. So Rice, by virtue of being chief of state, would be the next eligible candidate to sit in the oval office till 08' can elect a fully legitimate president.
And incidently, just because you like a man doesn't make him innocent. You have to consider the facts... like the fact that we hung German officers for many of the acts that this administration os performing today.
Somber at 5:12PM on Oct 26th 2007
73. Somber, with all due respect, you've wandered into a fantasy. Pelosi made the mistake of declaring that there will be no impeachments, a long time ago.
It would be far more productive to think in terms of promising Bush/Cheney and company immunity from prosecution.
Bush and Cheney have little choice but to create an even larger, "emergency" or go to prison. As it is, we are being extorted by the neocons.
Captain Negative at 5:21PM on Oct 26th 2007
74. Geee... if people keep saying it is impossible or unrealistic, small wonder if it never happens. and what Pelosi has stated can be reconsidered, given the evidence that Busheney is trying to start another illegitimate war. What has to be clear is when the articles are filed, Congress tells GATES first, and then Bush so that he can't preempt a war or incident.
If you say its impossible and never try, small surprise that you're right.
Somber at 5:29PM on Oct 26th 2007
75. To Somber: Rice? She lied to us. Mushroom Cloud Rice and the aluminum tubes. Those tubes were sent here to Oak Ridge and the physicists proclaimed that they were for simple manufacturing and had absolutely NO nuclear purpose. With that knowledge she and the administration trotted them out as proof of Saddam's nuclear intent.
Rice- let her buy shoes.
Cenk - Your concern is wise. I have one question. What do we really know about Iran?
I hear claims from the administration of terrorist activety coming from Iran only to hear from other reports that the administration's claims are totally false. Recently, we arrested 8 Iranian engineers as terrorists to discover that the Iraqi government had invited them to Iraq to help with various projects.
Iran says it wants electricity and believes that it has the right to build power plants to get it.
Obviously we can't trust the administration to tell us what is going on. They have lied to us on every occasion. Even if the administration was telling the truth it would be dangerous for them to handle another military excursion. They truely are two of the most incompetent people in the earth's history.
We also can't rely on the media to give us the story, which brings about the reason for my post.
Today I watched CURRENT TV. I saw videos from Iraq made by Iraqis. I learned more in one hour from Current TV than I have from our media (sans BBC) in 6 years.
One man made a tape called "Bagdad My Hometown". Truely fascinating. It had no political content whatsoever. It featured this young Iraqi and his friends and his fiancee. Whatever Current TV is I recommend it. There was another video from a young Kurd woman showing the markets, the PPK and of all things, a Bowling Alley. It was political both pro and con.
Now to those posters following rabbit trails. Philosophy of science is my expertise. I can only tell you of today's thinking. Modern thought is that we live in paradigms, such as a Newtonian paradigm, an Einsteinian paradigm, a Hawking paradigm and beyond. Each paradigm has its own rules (think scientific laws) and that these rules change upon new observation and discovery. I don't hear physicists talking anymore in terms of laws or facts.
Remember science is how we observe and predict the world. The closest we can come is theory based upon observation a nd experimentation. You can think in these terms i.e. of the theory of electricity or the theory of magnetism as well as the theory of evolution. It makes it impossible to close the book on anything. Therefore we can only say that our "present" understanding of whatever subject is . . . .
Sorry that this was so long. I had some things to say to the creationists at this posting but my dinosaur is double parked and I need to move it before I get a ticket.
Steve Seivers at 5:31PM on Oct 26th 2007